Church Brew Works

A brewery and restaurant located in a 100-year-old Catholic church in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. The stunning interior features the original altar, stained glass windows, and vaulted ceilings, creating an unforgettable dining experience among the sacred architecture.

The cornerstone of St. John the Baptist Church on Liberty Avenue was laid on June 1, 1902, built to serve the growing Irish and Scottish Catholic community in Lawrenceville. The church survived a ravaging fire in 1915 that destroyed much of the original interior, and during the devastating 1936 Pittsburgh flood, St. John's took in community members who lost their homes. After over 90 years of service, the Diocese closed St. John the Baptist in August 1993. Entrepreneur Sean Casey purchased the deconsecrated building in 1994 and opened the Church Brew Works in 1996, one of Pittsburgh's first brewpubs.

Staff at the Church Brew Works report missing items, disembodied voices and footsteps, feelings of being watched or followed, and full-body apparitions. An accountant saw a chair move on its own. A cook feels followed in the kitchen. Others hear phantom voices and faint music from the church organ when no one else is in the building. The most frequently reported spirit is the Lady in White, an unknown young woman between 16 and 22 years old who appears exceptionally pale. Those who've seen her say she seems lost rather than frightening, perhaps a victim of the 1936 flood seeking refuge at the church.

During summer 2021, the Ghost Hunters team conducted an investigation at the brewery. The episode aired on discovery+ in January 2022. The former church school attached to the building has large abandoned areas that may contribute to the paranormal activity.